India's sex offender database surpasses 1.2 million entries, Union Minister Smriti Irani reveals
New Delhi, June 08: In an unprecedented effort, the Indian government has compiled a comprehensive database of sex offenders, revealing a staggering count of 12 lakh (1.2 million) individuals convicted for crimes such as rape, gang-rape, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act violations, and outraging the modesty of women.
The National Registry of Sex Offenders was launched in 2018 as part of a nationwide initiative to combat crimes against women and children and strengthen law enforcement. At its inception, the registry contained records of approximately 4.5 lakh offenders.
However, with the recent pan-India exercise initiated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the database has expanded threefold.
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The objective of this exercise was to gather granular data on all sex offenders to prevent their entry into child care facilities across the country. As part of the amendments to the POCSO Act, the government mandated police verification of employees working in establishments catering to children. Accurate national data on sex offenders was crucial to facilitate this verification process. The National Crime Records Bureau confirmed the existence of a comprehensive database comprising 12 lakh sex offenders in India, according to Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani's statement on Thursday.
The National Registry of Sex Offenders is accessible solely to law enforcement agencies, enabling them to deter crimes effectively. It contains detailed information, including names, photographs, residential addresses, fingerprints, DNA samples, and PAN and Aadhaar numbers of convicted sex offenders.
Minister Irani also shared other significant statistics. Over five crore individuals have visited the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, and the portal has received more than 11 lakh complaints. Furthermore, the Government's Emergency Response Reporting System has handled 29 crore calls, and 733 one-stop centers for holistic care of crime survivors have been established nationwide.
As the Narendra Modi-led government completes nine years in office, Minister Irani's update underscores the government's commitment to combatting sexual offenses and providing support to survivors of crime.
- With inputs from agencies
